Because of increased security and permissions with recent macOS updates, you will be prompted to authorize the Zoom application to use the microphone and camera, and screen-recording on macOS 10.15 and above. If you do not allow Zoom access, these settings will become disabled and you will need to open macOS's System Preferences > Security and Privacy to enable access.
Audience
This article is intended for faculty, staff, students, and any participants of Zoom meetings.
Platform
macOS 10.14 Mojave, macOS Catalina, and macOS Big Sur
Changing Security Settings
Prerequisites
- OS 10.14 Mojave or OS 10.15 Catalina
- OS Administrator access
If you are not a Admin user on your device, that change can be made through Self-Service following the instructions on
this article.
Note: If you upgrade your Zoom Rooms Mac to Mojave or Catalina, keep the keyboard and mouse connected to the computer until you open Zoom and authorize access to the camera and microphone. You will need OS administrator access for the computer.
Instructions - Permissions for the Zoom Desktop Client
The Zoom Desktop Client may ask you to authorize access to the following permissions, depending on which features you are accessing in Zoom.
- Camera - sharing your video in a meeting or webinar
- Microphone - joining computer audio in a meeting or webinar
- Screen Recording (Mac OS 10.15 Catalina and above) - sharing your screen in a meeting or webinar
- Files and Folders (Mac OS 10.15 Catalina and above) - sharing and saving files from chat in a meeting or webinar, as well as recording locally to your computer.
- Accessibility - allowing remote control in a meeting
Refer to Zoom.us "Using the Zoom Client and Zoom Rooms with macOS" Knowledge Base Article for more information on how to change these preferences within the Security Preferences of your device.